Bulgaria Joins Initiative to Strengthen Competitiveness of European Industry

Bulgaria has joined a joint initiative of the industry ministers of Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain aimed at taking decisive action to enhance the competitiveness of European industry, the Ministry of Economy and Industry announced on March 19.

“We share the understanding that the competitiveness of industry should be a leading priority for European countries, and that the green transition should be implemented in a way that preserves production capacity, encourages investment and safeguards employment within the European Union,” the letter from the caretaker Economy and Industry Minister Irina Shtonova to Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche states.

Through the letter, Bulgaria officially expresses its support for the initiative, which builds on the Berlin Declaration of 3 November 2025, previously signed by the country.

The Ministry noted that nationally representative organisations of employers and trade unions have expressed, in a joint statement, their desire for Bulgaria to join the European “Friends of Industry” initiative. By sending the letter, the Ministry underlines Bulgaria’s clear commitment to seeking the best solutions to strengthen European industrial competitiveness and to adopt a balanced, investment-focused approach in a situation with so many global challenges.